Dusty Johnson: “domestic violence is often the crime that victims don't want to admit and communities don't want to discuss. However…”

“domestic violence is often the crime that victims don't want to admit and communities don't want to discuss. However, almost 15,000 domestic violence victims in South Dakota last year secured help from the Department of Social Services. This represents a low estimate of the number of South Dakotans who are victims of domestic violence, as many victims fail to seek help. Since enactment of the Violence Against Women Act in 1994, the number of forcible rapes of women have declined, and the number of sexual assaults nationwide have gone down as well. Despite the success of the Violence Against Women Act, domestic abuse and violence against women continue to plague our communities. Consider the fact that a woman is raped every 5 minutes in this country, and that nearly one in every three adult women experiences at least one physical assault by a partner during adulthood. In fact, more women are injured by domestic violence each year than by automobile accidents and cancer deaths combined. These facts illustrate that there is a need in Congress to help States and communities address this problem that impacts all of our communities. Last year, I was pleased to join the successful effort to reauthorize the 1994 Violence Against Women Act.”